Prof. Yashpal, Prof. U R Ananthamurthy, Prof. Romila Thapar, Prof.

Namwar Singh & Ashok Vajpeyi issue statement of concern regarding the FYUP
Kindly find below a statement of concern by eminent scholars and writers on the state of the university of delhi. Former Chairman, UGC and sapce scientist Prof. Yash Pal, Man Booker nominee of the year and author Prof. U R Ananthamurthy, historian Romila Thapar, Critic Namvar Singh and poet and former chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi,Ashok Vajpeyi have jointly issued this statement :

The reports coming from Delhi University about its new undergraduate programme have given us cause to feel greatly concerned. It seems that the university has failed to create consensus within its own academic community over a major shift in a course that affects a vast number of young people. By definition, a university is an institution that promotes a culture of dialogue and consensus. That a university itself should become a deeply divided community augurs ill for our nation, especially because the present case pertains to Indias premiere university located in its capital. We are distressed to hear that despite protests by senior scholars and public intellectuals, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have decided to maintain distance from the conflict afflicting the University of Delhi. They have used the idea of autonomy of the university to justify their decision to avoid intervention. In our view, this decision is tantamount to abdication of responsibility. Autonomy does not give license to any institution, let alone a university, to treat the education of young people in a cavalier fashion. It is the duty of MHRD and UGC to inquire into the questions raised by senior teachers and scholars about the quality of the new curriculum and the manner in which it was approved. It is also their legal responsibility to ensure that any structural change in one university will not affect the careers of students belonging to other universities. The 4-year course that Delhi University is determined to implement goes beyond the National Policy on Education (1986) as it violates the 10+2+3 structure mandated by the policy. Delhi University cannot be allowed to proceed with its new course without revision of the national policy and adequate discussion that such a revision would require. We urge the Government of India and the President of India, who is also the Visitor of Delhi University, to intervene without further delay and save the lives of lakhs of young men and women from being manipulated through an illconceived educational experiment. The least that the Government can do is to constitute a committee of nationally recognized scholars to examine the proposed undergraduate programme before it is operationalized.